Sunday, August 2nd

Despite the shrinking number of wine properties in Bordeaux, the region remains a world of small farmers. Their wines may carry the name of a château, but the edifice depicted on the label is typically more of a country house than a grand castle.

It didn't take Gov. Brown's official proclamation last week for California residents to know there is a drought. With no significant rain during the last year-and none forecast for the next 10 days-the air and the ground are dry. Wine country hillsides normally begin to green with the earliest winter rains, but now remain a desiccated, dusty, depressing brown.

... workshop includes information on: the state of our water supply; updates on the 2014 frost season; 2014 fisheries outlook; frost and drought BMPs; proactive water saving practices; and continued coordination efforts and proactive projects

New finds of brown marmorated stink bugs (BMSB) (Halyomorpha halys) in Sacramento County have been reported by UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Sacramento County viticulture and pomology farm advisor Chuck Ingels. Finds were confirmed at two residential properties in Citrus Heights in the northeast county in October 2013, and one was confirmed in December 2013 at an Elk Grove residence in the southern part of the county-within the northern boundary of the Lodi American Viticultural Area.

Jim Andrus was named SWS-CA Senior Vice President, General Manager of Northern California. In his new position, Andrus succeeds Steve Harden, who was named in November 2013 to the new role of Executive Vice President, Sales for the state.

Deering Wine, owned by Todd and Blair Maus, is continuing to win awards. Bringing home a set of winners from the esteemed San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, they are pleased to reveal their Best of Class, Double Gold and Gold winners to the public.

Young wine drinkers in the US will struggle to match the financial firepower of the retiring 'Baby Boomer' generation in the next decade, potentially putting pressure on sales, researchers have warned.

Fetching accolades of Best of Class and a Gold medal from the esteemed San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the Hoot Owl Creek Vineyards partners are excited to reveal their Best of Class and Gold medal winners to the public.

The part of the free trade deal that is being contested is a provision that would allow investors or multinational firms to bring arbitration claims against a state when the country is alleged to have broken the pact's investment guidelines. - See more at: http://www.capitalpress.com/article/20140121/ARTICLE/140129981/1169#sthash.peUYxr33.dpuf

In October, Anderson said the Expo board would not approve a contract "until we know everybody will get paid." On Tuesday, in a phone interview, Joe Anderson said GSF has told the Expo they intend to pay vendors, "but we can't require it as an element of the contract" with the Expo